officialwwefandomcom-20200214-history
Extreme Rules (2016)
Extreme Rules (2016) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and WWE Network event produced by WWE. It took place on May 22, 2016, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It was the eighth event under the Extreme Rules chronology. Eight matches were contested at the event, with one being shown on the pre-show. In the main event, Roman Reigns defeated AJ Styles in an Extreme Rules match to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, before Seth Rollins made his return from an injury and attacked Reigns. The event received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise directed at the Intercontinental Championship four-way and the main event WWE World Heavyweight Championship matches. Storylines The card consisted of eight matches, including one on the preshow, that resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches, with results predetermined by WWE's writers. Storylines between the characters played out on WWE's primary television programs, Raw and SmackDown. Extreme Rules was originally scheduled for May 1, 2016, at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. However, it switched dates and venues with Payback. On the first post-WrestleMania Raw on April 4, AJ Styles won a four-way match for a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship held by Roman Reigns and retained his title opportunity by defeating Sami Zayn on the next Raw. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Styles saved Reigns from an attack by Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, but Reigns then attacked Styles. At Payback, Styles faced Reigns for the world title. Reigns was first counted out and then disqualified, but the match was restarted twice (first by Shane McMahon and then Stephanie McMahon), turning into a no disqualification match. After interferences by both Anderson and Gallows and the Usos, Reigns eventually pinned Styles to retain the title. Subsequently, Vince, Shane and Stephanie McMahon agreed that Styles should get a title rematch at Extreme Rules in an Extreme Rules match. After Styles, Anderson and Gallows beat Reigns and the Usos on the May 2 episode of Raw, Anderson and Gallows wanted Styles to hit Reigns with a chair but Styles refused. When the Usos attacked Styles from behind with a chair, Styles retaliated with the chair. Ultimately, Reigns powerbombed Styles through the broadcast table. The tag team tournament to determine the #1 contender match for the WWE Tag Team Championship culminated at Payback, in a match pitting The Vaudevillains against Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, which ended in a no contest after Enzo Amore suffered a legit concussion. On the following night on Raw, The Vaudevillains were awarded a title match against WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day at Extreme Rules. At Payback, WWE Women's Champion Charlotte defeated Natalya in controversial fashion; when Charlotte had her opponent in the Sharpshooter, referee Charles Robinson awarded the match to Charlotte despite Natalya not having submitted, similar to the Montreal Screwjob at Survivor Series 1997. On the following night on Raw, a Submission match between Charlotte and Natalya was scheduled for Extreme Rules; Ric Flair was banned from ringside, with the added stipulation any appearance by Flair would result in Charlotte losing the title. On the May 2 episode of Raw, Rusev won a battle royal, last eliminating Zack Ryder, to earn a title match against United States Champion Kalisto at Extreme Rules. At WrestleMania 32, Kevin Owens lost the Intercontinental Championship to Zack Ryder in a seven-man ladder match that also included Sami Zayn and The Miz. The next night on Raw, The Miz won the Intercontinental Championship after his wife Maryse distracted Ryder. On the April 11 episode of Raw, Owens interrupted Shane McMahon and demanded a title shot, but Shane instead booked him in a #1 contender match against Cesaro, which Cesaro won. At Payback, Owens defeated Zayn, and then stayed for commentary during the Intercontinental Championship match; Zayn attacked Owens and a fight broke between the two. While Owens and Zayn were fighting at the ropes, Cesaro tried to throw them, but Miz pinned him to retain the title. Then Owens, Miz, Cesaro and Zayn began a brawl with Owens standing tall at the end holding the championship. The next night on Raw, another #1 contender match between Owens and Cesaro occurred, but the match ended with no contest after Miz, who was on commentary, attacked Cesaro. Zayn then ran down to the ring and the fight ended with Zayn standing tall holding the championship. On the May 5 episode of SmackDown, Miz interrupted Zayn on The Highlight Reel and a match was booked later between the two, which Zayn won after Owens interfered. Cesaro ran down to the ring and a fight between the four ensued, which ended with Cesaro holding the championship. On the May 9 episode of Raw, Shane and Stephanie McMahon scheduled a triple threat title match at Extreme Rules between Owens, Miz and Cesaro. Zayn demanded to be inserted into the match as well, and defeated Miz later in the night to win contender ship, thus turning the match into a fatal four way. At Payback, Dean Ambrose defeated Chris Jericho. On the next night on Raw, during a segment of The Ambrose Asylum with Stephanie McMahon, Stephanie cancelled Ambrose Asylum and reinstated Jericho's talk show, The Highlight Reel. Jericho came out and attacked Ambrose, destroying Mitch the Potted Plant in the process. The following week on Raw, Ambrose attacked Jericho and destroyed Jericho's jacket. On the May 12 episode of SmackDown, Jericho attacked Ambrose and put the straitjacket on Ambrose. On the May 16 episode of Raw, Ambrose challenged Jericho to a match at Extreme Rules, which Jericho accepted. Ambrose then revealed that their match would be an Asylum match, a steel cage match with weapons hanging above the cage. Baron Corbin's first WWE singles match on the first Raw after WrestleMania ended in a double countout against Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler then defeated Corbin on the Payback pre-show. On the May 9 episode of Raw, Corbin defeated Ziggler. The following week, a No Disqualification match between the two was scheduled for the Extreme Rules pre-show. On the April 11 episode of Raw, Karl Anderson debuted in and Luke Gallows returned to WWE by attacking The Usos. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Anderson and Gallows defeated The Usos. The following weeks after Payback, the two teams faced each other in tag team matches with Reigns and Styles in the mix. On the May 19 episode of SmackDown, a Tornado tag team match was scheduled for the two teams at Extreme Rules. Aftermath Having returned from injury, Seth Rollins set his sights on regaining the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. After a small confrontation with Roman Reigns on Raw, Shane McMahon scheduled a title match between Reigns and Rollins for Money in the Bank. A night after failing to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, AJ Styles on Raw split from Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, which they did not take with appreciation, and later failed to qualify in the Money in the Bank ladder match by losing to Kevin Owens. A week later, on the May 30 episode of Raw, Styles welcomed back the returning John Cena when Gallows and Anderson appeared to challenged the two to a fight. Styles surprised Cena by joining Gallows and Anderson in their attack, turning Styles heel. Results Other on-screen personnel See also * List of WWE pay-per-view events * Extreme Rules Category:Extreme Rules Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events Category:2016 Pay-Per-View Events